


Family Ties

by Marieeeeeeee



Category: Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arrow Family, Artemis-centric, Episode s01e06: Infiltrator, F/M, Gen, Spitfire (Young Justice), Team as Family, Young Justice #10: Hot Case, Young Justice #7: Rabbit Holes, Young Justice #8: Wonderland, Young Justice #9: Cold Case, crossposted to fanfiction.net, no beta we die like kid flash, yes I went there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2020-09-30 17:22:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20450789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marieeeeeeee/pseuds/Marieeeeeeee
Summary: This was her second chance. A chance she’d earned and proven herself to be worthy of. A chance that was for once not tainted (yet) by her family’s history. This way, she got to draw the line and show that she could be different- that she was different.That even a Tigress could change its stripes.“I’ll take my chances.”AU of Infiltrator5/27/20: crossposted to fanfiction.netUpdates every weekend, starting May 30, 2020





	1. Infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! If it isn’t obvious, I fandom hop quite a bit, so any in-progress works I have take quite a while to be updated, so apologies in advance for that.
> 
> Young Justice was the fandom that first got me into fanfiction, but this is the first time I’ve actually posted something for it. Young Justice Season 3 made me quite nostalgic, and reawakened the plot bunnies I’ve had in the back of my brain for this series for these past years. 
> 
> This particular one is Artemis-centered, and focuses on what could have happened if Artemis came clean from the moment she joined the team, and how that would affect the series of events that followed.

Being a hero was- different. 

But in so many ways, the same.

There was still the thrill of it- the high of anonymity that came with hiding behind a mask. Except now there was no (stolen) military-grade unmarked black gear, just a cheap green spandex top and cargo pants. The lack of armor made every night out that much more dangerous but at the same time it felt like weightlessness, freedom, and escape. 

There was still the adrenaline rush, the harsh discipline, the cold precision that had been hammered into her by years of training under her father, evident in the fierce beat-downs she gave Gotham's criminal element. But now there was no guilt for a ruined life (or a dead one). The blood on her hands was spilled to protect others and not for pointless sport. There was pride in the awed (but wary) gratitude of the people she'd helped. 

There was still the fear of every darker-than-it-should-be shadow (and there were a lot of those in Gotham). Except now, the Dark Knight and his squire was the least of her worries- if word got out that she'd defected from the Shadows, there would be no-one to vouch for her.

_Especially _if it got to her father.

Getting the offer from Green Arrow and Batman to make her hero status official was a dream come true. She and her Shadow-buddies had laughed about the League's "trust and integrity" speech before, but they'd known that coming after a hero like as not meant going up against others. If she could prove herself, she'd be protected- somewhat- from her former masters. The "covert ops" part of joining up with the Team was a definite bonus. 

(_Although, covert ops? They essentially trashed Gotham Academy- not very covert.)_

Then again, everyone had their bad days. But Artemis was beginning to wonder if all their missions would land them in some highschool or another as the universe's idea of a joke- even if Happy Harbor High School wasn't remotely similar to Gotham Academy in size or prestige. 

Protection detail wasn't really an ideal first mission- one brought by her predecessor at that (and that was a whole other can of worms she didn't really want to think about)- but nothing about today had been ideal. 

She didn't want to say she'd expected anything different from the Team- except, well, she _had._ It was just her luck, she guessed, to join up with the Team on the same day their old buddy (who they clearly wanted to join them) came to the Cave in his new suit with his new alias with a mission he'd dumped on them like yesterday's leftovers- and that wasn't even taking into account her new mentor's interaction with _Red Arrow._

_(Wasn't that just like her life so far, though? Another mentor-figure looking at her disappointment, another predecessor walking out and leaving her behind, another set of too-big shoes to fill and too-high standards to reach.)_

In all fairness to them, she wasn't really the most likable person- and her dry remarks had undoubtedly set the other teens on end and alienated her from them. Especially Flash's partner, Kid Flash. 

Seriously though, she got it. They wanted Speedy- oh, sorry, _Red Arrow- _not her, but _tough luck. _

She was here to stay.

...

-Or at least, that's what she'd thought, before _this._

The Shadow with the cheshire cat mask had set off her instincts from the start. The assassin's movements had tugged at some distant part of her brain- from the predatory stalk to the taunting quips and scathing comments- and Artemis had wondered if she or her father had worked with this woman before.

She'd brushed it aside at first. She'd met and worked with hundreds of Shadows when her dad had dragged her along on his jobs- it was doubtful that she'd be recognized even if she _had _worked with this particular assassin. Artemis had kept quiet and out of the way on jobs with her dad, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. The likelihood of this woman recognizing her as Sportsmaster's younger daughter, (_the replacement, the disappointment, the weakling)_ who'd hidden in her father's shadows, was a million to one. 

Or it would have been- if it hadn't been her own sister behind that mocking Cheshire grin.

And an already bad night turned infinitely _worse, _because there was _no way _she could have seen that one coming.

(_She should have, though. Every girl for herself.)_

“_You." _

It's an exclamation, accusation, and demand all at once, the anticlimactic culmination of years’ worth of betrayal and hurt bubbling in her chest because there wasn't _time _to process the turmoil seeing Jade remove the mask had caused her.

(_But since when has she had the luxury of time to deal with life's crap?)_

“I suppose now you bring me to _justice_,” Jade drawled lazily, looking her over with a disparaging eye. “Let your new friends interrogate me. I wonder if your position’s secure enough to survive them learning _everything_ I know.” The threat was clear in Jade’s eyes- _how did she not recognize them before?_\- and Artemis felt her conviction wavering (_not that it'd been strong before_).

Because her position was anything _but _secure. This mission had proven just how much her new "team" didn't trust her. Finding out about her criminal family tree would only give them the excuse they needed to kick her out, and she could kiss any hope she had of staying with the Justice League- and the protection, the trust, the friendship and belonging- goodbye. 

On top of that, the chances of them keeping her sister behind bars permanently were slim to none. Jade would get out, and the moment she did, so would the news that Green Arrow's new partner was a turncoat, a _Shadow Legacy- _and the Shadows would be out for her blood. Without the League backing her, Artemis couldn't even guarantee that she could keep her mother safe. If she let Jade slip now, she could hope that her sister had enough sisterly affection left in her not to rat her out right away.

In the short term, it certainly sounded like the better option. But Artemis had lost her mother, sister, and her entire childhood to her parents' tendency to think in the short term. If nothing else, Paula Crock's tragic accident had taught Artemis the value of long-term planning. 

Artemis looked at her sister- _the assassin _before her, trying to get past the immediate emotion and the highlights of their childhood that Artemis had clung too in the years since Jade had first left and tried to reconcile the woman before her with the Jade she'd known, years ago. She remembered that Jade, even when they were young, had been selfish. She'd cared about Artemis and loved her, (she had to believe that) but if the choice came to her own benefit and protecting her sister, she would pick herself, again and again. 

Jade wouldn't keep her secret out of love but as a trick card up her sleeve to hold over Artemis' head. 

On the flip side, she could turn Jade in, and Jade would expose her to the Team. But Batman and Green Arrow already knew, and Batman had said he was the one who was in charge of the Team; it wouldn't be the first time she'd worked with people who hated her guts anyway. Maybe they'd stomp their feet and demand Artemis be kicked off the Team (and the thought of that hurt, she wasn't gonna lie) but if that happened she could continue her partnership with Arrow. And even if that failed, she could just continue as she had before- breaking up alley scuffles and protecting the people in her corner of Gotham, trying to do some good. 

More importantly, there would be absolutely no question as to her loyalty or whose side she was on. 

This was _her _second chance; one she'd _earned _when she'd saved Kid Flash's life in Gotham Academy the week before. This was her choice, her life- her chance to prove that she was different, that she was more than just a villain's daughter.

“I’ll take my chances."

The look on Jade's face when Artemis' words registered was the best part of Artemis' night so far. "What?" she mocked, keeping her arrow trained on Ja- the assassin. "Wasn't expecting that, were you?"

"Confident, are we? Funny," her sister sneered, "last I heard, you weren't exactly candidate number one for an open slot on the League's baby team. I would have though our sparkling family ancestry would be a red flag for applications. Think they'll accept mine?" 

"I'm a hero now, Jade," she said. "It only took Alice once to learn the Cheshire cat can't be trusted." 

Jade's eyes flashed, her face settling into a blank slate. Later, Artemis would wonder if the brief emotion that had passed over her sister's face had been hurt, or regret- but that seemed more like wishful thinking than anything. But before she could make a witty (harsh, hurtful, snappy) reply, the rest of the Team suddenly arrived.

"Artemis! You caught yours!" Miss Martian cheered, beaming at her as she floated gracefully into Artemis' field of vision. "So did we!" 

Artemis sensed, more than saw, the levitating forms of the other two Shadows in her peripheral vision, not taking her eyes off of her sister- the assassin- for a second. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kid Flash moved forward, picking up the grinning Cheshire mask off of the floor. “Cool,” he smiled tightly at her. “Souvenir.”

“Well done, Artemis,” Aqualad said, pulling himself away from Dr. Roquette’s support. “Cheshire is on the League’s list of high-profile assassins. No-one has been able to unmask her yet, until now.” Artemis watched impassively as _Cheshire_ suddenly floated into the air next to her companions, courtesy of Miss Martian’s telekinesis, the chain unravelling to include her. “Once we get back to the cave, we can run her facial ID to find her civilian identity.”

“I can save you the trouble.”

It felt like someone else was saying the words, like she was a spectator to the pieces of her life falling apart. Her chest was tight with suppressed emotion. She could see how this would play out- distrust, arguments, being treated with scorn and eventually, maybe imminently, being kicked off the Team. Her Wonderland- she'd barely experienced it before it shattered before her eyes.

But she was doing the right thing here. No-one could take that away from her. 

And, really- wasn't that what being a hero was all about? 

“Her name’s Jade Nguyen-Crock. Daughter of Paula Nguyen, ex-con and assassin Huntress, and Lawrence Crock, Sportsmaster. She's a Shadow Legacy- elites trained from an extremely young age to follow the Shadows’ every whim.”

Everyone looked stunned- even Jade. Any other situation, and Artemis probably would have found it funny. 

Miss Martian's expression shifted even as she moved their captives nearer to the center of the group- where all eyes could be on them and it would be harder to hide any movement- it was a smart move, and Artemis was grateful for it. She knew better than anyone that Shadows were not to be underestimated.

Aqualad swallowed heavily, turning his steely gaze on her. "And how do you know this?" 

Artemis sighed, averting her eyes as she clipped her bow to her belt. Unconsciously, she shifted herself into a defensive stance, crossing her arms in front of her. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked, voice bitter and tight. "She's my sister." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, a cliffie! Please do leave reviews and kudos!


	2. Reassurance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was the right thing to do."  
"And that's rarely ever the easy option- it sure as hell wasn't in this case."

Needless to say, the Team didn't really take her little reveal well. 

And that was understating it heavily. 

In all fairness, Aqualad and Miss Martian seemed more stunned than anything. It was Kid Flash who had the volatile reaction- which Artemis should have seen coming. If she had, then she might have handled the blowup a lot better.

As it stood, they made quite the racket- thankfully no-one bothered coming out to investigate (seriously though, how did Kid _Crash _qualify for a _covert ops team _with that big mouth?) Aqualad tried defusing the situation, not that he was very effective, given he looked prone to collapse at any moment. It didn't help that Doctor Roquette kept butting into the conversation, provoking them both and making tempers flare all around. Miss Martian, thankfully, stayed out of it, floating hesitantly on the sidelines and keeping their captives from escaping. 

(Later, Artemis would be grateful for the fact. If Cheshire and her lackeys escaped- well. It would only make an already bad night worse.)

In the end, it's Robin who gets them to shut up when he and Superboy return with the bioship, and a timely reminder (with unreadable glances between him and Aqualad, Artemis noted) that the League of Shadows rarely sent only one unit to handle their assassinations and they were hardly equipped to take on another unit. It was enough for them to agree to a temporary truce and load everyone- including Doctor Roquette and their prisoners- into the bioship.

From there, it took them at least another half-hour to agree on their next move; returning to the Cave was out of the question- there was too big a chance of the secret base's location being compromised again- but the longer they kept the assassins in the bioship, the more likely they were to find a weakness and exploit it. There was also Doctor Roquette to think of- as a civilian, she couldn't be brought into any of the League's safe houses without proper security checks and arrangements.

They end up calling the Justice League- they were in over their heads for what had been a simple protective detail. (This prompted a lot of complaints from Kid Flash about being treated like kids, which largely went ignored by their teammates). After a quick conversation between Batman and Robin, they rendezvous with two Green Lanterns, Batman, and Red Arrow at a point a little outside of Happy Harbor. 

Artemis stood apart from the Team without looking at any of them, watching as Miss Martian released her telekinesis so the Lanterns could put up their hard-light construct around the assassins. Jade kept her eyes on Artemis the entire time, and the younger Crock sister found herself biting her tongue, or else she'd end up causing a scene- not something she wanted to do when she was already in hot water. 

Besides- the pain gave her something else to focus on. 

Distantly, she noted that Red Arrow had retaken custody of Doctor Roquette- she still wasn't really safe if she was on the Shadows' radar, and until they could establish that Cheshire had been serious about the hit being called off, it would be best for her to remain in protective custody.

As Aqualad handed off Doctor Roquette, Kid Flash ran up and the three of them- plus Robin, once he'd noticed their little powwow- held a whispered conference with several indiscreet glances in her direction.

'_So? I don't care,' _Artemis thought hotly, shifting so the group of teens would be out of her eyesight. 

(_Yes you do, _a small part of herself whispered back.)

She kept her eyes on the green bubble that held her sister as it floated into the night sky until it faded to a bright green speck in the distance. 

"Well done," Batman said behind her, drawing Artemis' eyes away from the horizon. "You managed to protect your hostage, and in the process captured three high-profile assassins." 

"And discovered the identity of a possible leak in the Team," Kid Flash said. Artemis bristled, ready to break out into another argument. 

"Enough." 

The command in Batman's voice was clear, and Artemis forced herself to look away. If she looked at his stupid mug for another second, she'd probably end up punching him anyway.

"Debrief in the Cave."

* * *

The short flight to the Cave after was the worst in Artemis' life. None of the others looked at her or tried to talk to her- not that she knew how she'd respond if they had. Their mentors met them at the Cave, and a long, arduous debrief followed. 

In truth, the debrief shouldn't have taken as long as it did, but there were many interruptions- usually in the form of accusations or disparaging comments from Kid Flash. Artemis tried to ignore him at first, trying to focus on the reports of her other teammates. 

But Artemis was neither an angel nor a saint, and she certainly didn't have the patience of them either. 

After the fifth squabble, Batman decided to continue the debrief on an individual mentor-mentee basis to avoid "any further unnecessary interruptions." Artemis tried not to snarl at the way he'd pointedly glanced at her and Kid Flash as he spoke.

Batman and Robin left for Gotham almost immediately. Artemis narrowed her eyes as Robin kept casting her some unreadable look, as if he was trying to see into her to find out what made her tick.

It was hard not to feel jealous, though, as the zeta tube took them back to dark, grimy, crime-ridden Gotham. She just wanted this night to be over. 

Flash and his redheaded idiot of a partner seemed to be staying in the Cave for the debrief, since Artemis could still Kid Flash's obnoxiously loud voice from the main area-

"-she's a villain's daughter and sister, Uncle B,"

-and the Martians had phased through the walls to God-knows-where. Aqualad and his mentor had also exited the room, which left her and Superboy.

Her white rabbit (and she really needed to stop calling him that, even if only in her head) was glaring at her, and Artemis felt irritation surge through her as she pointedly looked away. It was clear he'd already been biased by Kid Flash's accusations, and she hated that the two of them -and face it, Artemis, probably the rest of them as well- had already made their own assumptions about her, never mind that she'd just turned in _her own sister_\- and that was a whole other issue she _really_ didn't want to think about at the moment.

So much for a fresh start.

Artemis glanced impatiently at her new "mentor," who was talking with Canary. She'd been confused, at first, what Canary was doing at the Cave but apparently the older heroine was subbing in as Superboy's mentor for some reason that Artemis wasn't privy to yet. 

In any case, she didn't care. She wanted _out, _and she wanted out _now. _

The two heroes seemed to be arguing, Canary gesturing viciously as she spoke. Whatever she was saying made quite the impression on Arrow, who paled remarkably fast and nodded placatingly before turning to Artemis.

"Hey kid," he smiled weakly, "you alright if we continue this at the Arrow Base?"

Huh. Not Gotham?

Whatever. Anywhere would be better than the Cave at that moment.

"Sure." She nodded firmly, still not looking at Superboy, and by proximity, Canary. She glanced briefly around the Cave, wondering if it would be the last time she'd ever see it- judging from her "teammates'" reactions, it was unlikely she'd stay on the Team after this; no way the Leaguers would force their precious proteges to endure the presence of a former Shadow operative. 

She'd been such a fool to think she could ever be a part of something like this. 

_'Was it really worth it, Artemis?_' her sister's voice mocked in her head.

Artemis shook her head, turning her back on the cave. "Let's blow this joint."

* * *

The Arrow base (Arrow cave at first, until Oliver had gotten tired of being laughed at for his naming choices) wasn't as grand and dramatic as Bruce's Batcave, but he was proud of it. It was sleek and functional, but also comfortable.

An enormous screen and computer system took up the back of the room, displaying cases, reports, and the Queen's grocery list for the week. In front of it were several low couches positioned around a low table for when he and his team needed to talk strategy or debrief, or just didn't feel like going up to the Queen mansion or penthouse yet. There was an archery range off to one side and a practice mat for hand-to-hand, and a medbay and storage containers to the other. He had plenty of secret bases across Star City and the rest of the state set up in a similar manner, but this was his favorite- and as a result, the biggest, best-stocked, and most used- so he was pleased to see Artemis' eyes light up in delight as it drank in the range and the many trick arrows off to the side.

_'I'll have to get some arrows fitted and stocked up for her too'_, he mused idly as he carefully hung his bow up on the wall near most of his personal gear, unclipping his quiver and removing his mask after and placing them up next to his bow.

He was pleased to hear her shocked gasp as he chugged down a bottle of water, presumably because she recognized him. Ollie was a vain man, and he knew it. It wasn't one of his best qualities, but he couldn't help enjoying the feeling of being admired and recognized. Sure he wasn't Batman or Bruce Wayne, but he liked to think he was still a pretty great guy.

"You're Oliver Queen?"

He spread his hands, grinning. "In the flesh, kid."

She gaped at him, starstruck, and Oliver couldn't help but bask in her admiration. Dinah and Roy had kept him knocked down and humble over the years, but he still remembered the day he took Roy in and saw the same expression on his face. He missed the feeling.

The thought of Roy brought with it a wave of melancholic nostalgia. Not a day went by that he didn't wonder what he could've done better for his first partner- and what he'd gotten so wrong that he'd ended up driving him away.

But Dinah had been right when she'd berated him before they'd left the Cave.

"Artemis needs you _now," _Dinah had hissed, poking him in the chest.

"But Roy-" Ollie tried protesting, only to be cut off by an increasingly angry Dinah Lance. 

"But _nothing!" _Dinah's eyes narrowed. "You did your best by Roy. You weren't perfect, but no-one is, and if Roy can't see that, that's his problem too. But right now, you have a new partner- and you owe it to her to have your head in the game and a hundred percent focused on mentoring her, or you never should have taken her in the first place." 

"How am I supposed to mentor her when I screwed up so badly with Roy?"

"You didn't, Ollie, get that into your head," Dinah growled. "Quit your pity party and look at what you have in front of you. Didn't you see the look in her eyes whenever you talk to her? That girl is _starving_ for your approval, Ollie, and if she feels she has something to prove just because her new mentor couldn't give her the time of day, then you," she stepped forward, poking a finger into Ollie's chest, "will really have failed her, and she could get hurt or die because of your negligence."

The point had gone home then- because Ollie was a lot of things, but he wasn't _blind. _Like Dinah, he'd seen the delight in Artemis' eyes when he'd gifted her her new gear before bringing her to the Cave and the way her back had straightened when he'd complimented her technique as she'd tried out her new arrows.

Oliver had made it clear that his door was open to Roy many times over. If he went after Roy now while his old partner so clearly didn't want him to, then he risked driving the younger archer further away.

But Artemis was here, and Roy wasn't- and Oliver owed it to the beautiful, bright-eyed girl before him and the hero she could be to give her every ounce of attention she deserved.

"I'm surprised you know who I am. I mean, I'm rich, but I haven't really made headlines lately, especially not in Gotham," he commented.

"You- you spoke at my school once," she said, suddenly shy. "You talked about being shipwrecked, and how the bow had helped you survive. The way you described archery made it sound so amazing, and I wanted to try it- even if Dad wasn't really happy about it at first."

Oliver stared at her in awe- he remembered being asked to speak for some motivational speech at a run-down school in Lower Gotham while he'd been in the city, helping Bruce with a case. He remembered the tiny, blonde girl who'd approached him after his speech, fiery and spirited and fierce. 

"I remember," he said wonderingly, grinning broadly at her. "You told me your daddy told you that archery was for losers and cowards."

Artemis blushed, looking away, though Ollie could see the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "You told me that a good fighter was versatile and could fight in both close combat and long-range, and if you could do both, then all the better. And you told me an archer's role was to watch his team's back and keep them covered in battle." 

Oliver didn't think his grin could get much wider. "I can't believe you remember that- you were so small!" 

Artemis ducked her head. "Yeah, well- it was my selling pitch to my dad to get him to teach me archery. Another good point about archery is that I get away with less kills than the others- and it's easier to fake a bad shot to let them get away."

Ollie's smile and good mood fell as Artemis' reality hit him full force. Not for the first time (and certainly not the last) the urge to punch Lawrence Crock in the face hit him hard. 

"I can't believe that was you," he said instead, smiling weakly. "Looks like things played out pretty well, huh?"

Artemis smiled bashfully at him, before her expression morphed into a distressed one. "I- I can't believe you just revealed your identity just like that! Isn't that dangerous?"

Oliver shrugged. He wasn't Bats, with his obsession with secrets. And she would have had to be told eventually, if he was going to teach her. He said as much as he led her to the common area in the center of the room, encouraging her to pull down her cowl as well.

"Besides," he added, "you deserve at least that level of trust after what you did today."

Artemis blushed, glancing off to the side awkwardly. He was willing to bet that her father hadn't done much in the way of encouragement raising her. Oliver hoped to change that as her mentor. "That being said," he said lightly, smirking to lessen the sternness of his rebuke, "maybe don't launch off into a shouting match with Kid Flash next time."

He was pleased to see her eyes flare with irritation as he brought up her teammate, though there was a healthy level of defensiveness there as well. He'd take that over hesitation and silence any day. "Well," she shot back, "maybe he should hold off on the accusations."

Oliver grinned. "Kid's a bit of a hothead- then again, so are you. But he's a good kid. He'll come around, don't worry- they all will."

Artemis nodded, but he could see that she was unconvinced as she rubbed at her arms, looking around the base again. Oliver sighed. He didn't want her to close off further, but there were other things they had to talk about.

"So I was listening to the Team's report, and you handled yourself well. A little impulsive, a little bit of a tendency to run your mouth, but I'm like that too, so I don't really have much room to criticize," he said, tone light as he watched her reaction. She seemed to bracing herself, and Oliver found himself thinking of the small apartment where he'd first met her, surrounded by dark, crime-ridden alleys in a violent neighborhood. He thought of that small girl he'd met years ago, imagined her cowering before her villainous father as she was forced to do things no child ever should.

'After she leaves, I'm setting up a target with Crock's face on it.'

"But capturing Cheshire, and then exposing her identity despite any personal repercussions that would have for you," her lips twisted into a grimace, her eyes squeezed shut, her face turned away from any blows, physical or verbal, someone might send her way, "that was one of the most courageous acts I've ever heard of."

Artemis gaped at him, and another pang of sadness ran through him at the blatant surprise on her face.

"It goes without saying that any doubts the league had about your loyalties are gone now," he said softly. "I'm only sorry that you had to give up your fresh start because of this."

"It was the right thing to do."

"And that's rarely ever the easy option- it sure as hell wasn't in this case."

Artemis lowered her gaze. "It's fine. I should've known a fresh start was too much to ask for."

Oliver crossed the small distance between them, kneeling before her and catching her gaze. He worried that she'd react negatively to his closer proximity, or to him reaching out to grasp her hand tightly, but she seemed to draw some comfort out of the act. "It shouldn't have to be, Artemis. I'm so sorry."

Artemis sniffed, dashing a hand across her eyes. "Thanks." She eyed him warily. "Are you just being nice so I won't get mad that I'm being kicked off the Team?"

"Being kicked off the team?" Oliver couldn't be more confused. "Why on earth would we kick you off the team?"

Artemis frowned at him. "The others will never want to work with me after this."

Oliver scoffed. "Tough for them, they'll have to, or they'll answer to me and Canary. Batman too." He smiled gently at her. "We Arrows and non-powered heroes have to stick together, you know.

"And we all have things we're not proud of- me and Bats have had our own run-ins with the Shadows, you know? And not always on opposite sides. Canary has her own skeletons. So do Superman, and Flash, and pretty much every Leaguer. We'd be pretty big hypocrites to kick you out just because your family forced you to do things you didn't want to."

Artemis stared at him, and Oliver started to get worried that he'd said something wrong when she hugged him, shoulders shaking. Oliver grunted at the force of her body hitting his, then wrapped his arms around her, gently carding his fingers through her hair and making comforting noises.

Eventually she drew away. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I guess I just wasn't expecting that."

"It's perfectly fine," Oliver said kindly. "What kind of uncle would I be if my niece couldn't cry to me about all the nasty teenage boys giving her grief."

She shot him a dirty look, and Oliver found himself laughing. "Don't make me hit you," she threatened, and Oliver rolled his eyes. "I'm fearing for my life here kid," he said dryly.

"And as your uncle," he continued, blissfully ignoring the way she rolled her eyes at him, "I also get to ruin whatever diet you're on for an ice cream and movie night after a crappy day- and I'd say this applies." He moved over to the fridge and pulled out a tub of ice cream. "Strawberry suit you?"

Artemis grinned. "Strawberry's my favorite."

They curled up on the couch and Oliver pulled up the Star Trek: 2009 reboot on the computer screen. Her teasing ("...you're a trekkie? Nerd." "Don't beat it 'til you try it kid.") was well worth the fixated look on her face as Spock-the-Elder talks with Kirk.

The credits are rolling and the ice cream tubs empty when Oliver speaks again.

"By the way, we're moving you and your mom into protective custody."

A wet snort.

"Good luck telling her that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to Family Ties, everyone!
> 
> I've decided to go at my multi-chaptered fics one at a time, and Family Ties was the first on the list. Until I finish, though, "Equal Exchange" (TMNT) and "There, and Back Again" (Chronicles of Narnia) are on an indefinite hiatus. 
> 
> I hope to keep up with this updating schedule for the foreseeable future- but if there are any changes, I'll post updates on my profile. Thanks for tuning in again!


	3. Education

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do the others know you're here?"  
"They do. They would've come too, but we didn't think you'd appreciate it."  
"Probably a good choice."

For the record, if Artemis had her way, she was never stepping foot into the Cave again. 

"Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, and Aqualad spent years just working with their mentors," she'd argued stridently to Oliver the other night when he'd tentatively raised the question of returning to the Cave. "Wouldn't it be better to focus first on building our partnership before sending me off gallivanting with the others?"

Ollie (as he'd insisted on being called in private) had sighed heavily, then put the subject aside, redirecting the conversation to Artemis' alias. ("What's wrong with Artemis? It fits, doesn't it?" "For someone who gave me a lot of grief for telling you my secret identity, you're not doing the best job at protecting your own, you know.")

Artemis and Ollie's movie night had ended up lasting well into morning and into the afternoon of the following day. After, he'd also come home with her to talk to her mother about witness protection- and about Jade. To both of their surprise, Paula had been strangely resigned, if sorrowful, when they told her about Cheshire. 

"You have to understand," she'd told Artemis later, "Before- everything, I was never really against you girls joining up with the "family business" eventually. The Life was all I'd known, and you not following in our footsteps seemed unlikely. It took my injury and incarceration these long years for me to see the cost that lifestyle would ask of us.

"So no," she sighed, looking wistfully at the Alice in Wonderland poster hung over Jade's old bed. "I cannot say that I am surprised by your sister's new career- nor that I blame her for taking it." 

The news that the League wanted to relocate them for safety's sake, on the other hand, was met with fierce opposition- as Artemis had expected. "I may be in a wheelchair, Mr. Arrow," she'd said, voice sharp when Oliver had tentatively discussed the subject with her, "with a job that barely pays the rent, and in a neighborhood in Gotham no less, but I am still the Huntress and I am more than capable of protecting myself. I have spent a lifetime on the run- but no more. This is my home, and anyone who dares try to remove me from it, whether Justice League or assassin, will find that I will not go willingly." 

In private, Artemis bemoaned her mother's stubbornness. It would be a load off her mind to know that her mother was in some unmapped League safehouse than in their run-down apartment, but Paula was adamant in her decision, and Artemis would not abandon her mother.

In the end, they decided to compromise with increased security and cautionary precautions. Ollie told them Batman would be the one handling their surveillance, since it was his city, though he'd keep Ollie in the loop since it was his protege. 

After that, Artemis takes the zeta tube to Star City to go on patrol with Oliver every night to get a feel for the city she'd be operating out of and get used to her new mentor. It's a novel experience for them both- Artemis was like Roy in so many ways, filled with fire and passion and she let it flow fiercely out of her as they fight. At the same time, there was a controlled finesse in her movements that Roy didn't have, and a compulsive drive for perfection- 'No doubt Crock's influence,' Oliver'd thought more than once.

On Artemis' end, Ollie was a master archer and a good teacher, and each night she learns something new- minute adjustments to her technique that make a world of difference. But he's also kind and encouraging, and Artemis finds herself soaking in the praise. 

Each night, Oliver brings up the idea of coming back to the Cave to talk it out with the Team- and every time, she turns him down.

Thankfully, he doesn't really push her beyond that, and usually just turns to a different topic of conversation. Unfortunately for her, it's usually the same different topic every night. 

"Arrowette?"

Artemis snorted, trying not to show off too much derision at the suggestion. "Uh, no."

"What's wrong with Arrowette?" Arrow demanded. 

"Don't get me wrong, Arrow, you're a great mentor, but you aren't really the best in naming things."

"I have it on good authority almost everything in the Batcave has 'Bat' as a prefix." 

"At least 'Batcave' makes sense, compared to 'Arrow cave.'"

"You promised not to bring that up."

Artemis laughed, even as her boot connected with her opponent's face. There was something inherently satisfying with smashing criminals' faces, she thought with grim satisfaction, whipping around as she drew an arrow from her quiver and onto her bow. 

There was a man towards the back of the mob that seemed to be the ringleader. Artemis sighted carefully, taking into account the slight breeze, inhaled, and on the exhale, let her arrow fly. 

The man yelped as the force behind the arrow drove him backward, pinning his jacket to the wall behind him. 

"Nice job, kid," Arrow said approvingly, and Artemis couldn't help beaming up at him. "Wrap it up, then let's get out of here. Your mother will kill me if I let you stay out here too late again." 

Artemis snorted again- Ollie's fear and respect for her mother was a large source of amusement for her- as she hogtied the crooks before she and Arrow took to the rooftops. From there, she paused, looking out at the skyline. 

Star City was... different. There was still crime, of course, or else her presence would be pointless, but the darkness didn't seem all-pervading like it was in Gotham. It was... lighter, for lack of a better term. Children could play on the streets. People didn't bring face masks as a matter of routine because of the possibility of fear gas or Joker gas. There was hope- a scant resource in the Dark Knight's city. 

If not for her mother, Artemis thought she'd like living here.

The pair returned to the Arrow base to wrap up their case files and so Artemis could change into unmarked dark clothes that would allow her to blend in with the shadows of Gotham. 

"I could always drop you off at home," he offered, but Artemis made a negative gesture, shouldering the large duffle that hid her gear.

"I'm fine, Ollie. Thanks, though," she turned away, hiding a blush. "These past few days have been...nice." 

"It's a pleasure, kid." Ollie reached over and ruffled her hair, making her scowl playfully and duck away, pulling up the deep hood that would hide most of her more distinguishable features- like her olive skin and slanted eyes and her long, golden hair- from being easily identified. 

"Stay safe."

"You too, old man." 

Recognized: Artemis; B-0-7.

Artemis took a moment to breathe in the dirty old telephone booth that disguised the Gotham zeta tube. While it was true that the past few nights with Ollie had been some of the best of her life, learning from an encouraging and supportive mentor, it still hadn't been what she'd been expecting.

Much as it hurt to admit, Artemis had been really excited to be on the Team as she'd seen them in Gotham Academy's gym- with the quips and banter and unconditional support and trust. But she was still smarting over their reaction to her family lineage and couldn't bring herself to suck it up and admit she wanted to go back.

'Not that I blame them, of course,' she mused ruefully, giving a cursory glance at the cameras that allowed her to make sure there weren't any civilians standing outside the booth. 

Upon slipping out of the booth, however, a sixth sense made the hairs on the back of Artemis' neck rise. Her fingers itched to grab for her gear, hidden in the enormous duffel- but that was too time-consuming and would leave her open to attack for too long. Thankfully, she'd thought to hide some knives on her civilian clothes- just in case. It was a precaution that would pay off, it seemed. 

As she contrived to walk out of the alley as normally as possible, trying to identify the source of the threat, she thought ruefully to the hours upon hours spent mastering the sword, at her father's insistence. She'd hated how the weapon felt too up-close and personal. There was no way to distance yourself from the kill, no way you could play off a merciful kill or a non-fatal injury as a mistake- something that the League of Shadows wouldn't look kindly on. The sword had been buried under her bed the night her mother had kicked her father out. 

Still, Artemis thought viciously, it'd be a lot better than a handful of knives.

There!

On a low-hanging fire escape, close to the alley entrance, the shadows were just a little darker than they should be. Artemis felt her heartbeat spike. 

It didn't leave her with a lot of options.

Screw this, I'm never walking out of the zeta tube in civvies again. Better an identity exposed than another dead body in Gotham's streets.

Despite her racing heart, she continued to walk normally to the alley entrance. When she was only a few meters away from the fire escape, she slipped, falling forward to try and regain her balance- or at least, that's what she wanted it to look like. The fall would disguise her hands' slip down to her boots to retrieve her knives. The second her fingers grasp the handles, she dropped to one knee, spinning the knife to hold it by the blade, drawing it back, and throwing- all in the matter of seconds. 

From the moment the knife leaves her fingers, spinning, she knows it's a good shot. Her father had tried to make her and Jade's skill with weapons as dynamic as possible. Artemis had found an innate talent in the sword and bow, and Jade had been a talented knife-wielder. But in a pinch, either sister could use the other's weapons to the level of an expert assassin. 

In line with her new occupation, though, Artemis had meant for the knife to land hilt first- a throw meant to stun, not harm fatally.

That ends up being a good thing, when her shadow suddenly yelps and drops from the fire escape in a flash of red and gold, to reveal her teammate (?) and fellow Gothamite, Robin. 

"Woah, Artemis! It's me!"

Artemis paled as she registered just how unfortunately this night could have played out. If she'd been even the slightest been less skilled than she was, or if she'd mistimed her throw, Robin would be badly injured- or dead. 

"I'm so sorry!" Artemis rushed out in a gasp. "Oh my God, Robin, are you okay? Are you hurt."

"Woah, I'm fine. You didn't hit me, Artemis."

Artemis drew up short, partially grateful and relieved and partially insulted. She knew that shot was good. 

Robin grinned at the insulted look on Artemis' face. "I saw the flash of your knife just inside and ducked down. Gotta say, I wasn't expecting that- probably should have though, all things considered."

Artemis nodded. There were some things skill didn't account for, truth be told. The flash of light on a blade was one of them. Some of the knife-wielders her dad had made her train with had coated their blades in different substances meant to reduce the shine of light on the metal, but since Artemis hadn't considered a knife as her primary weapon, she hadn't bothered with it. Now, it was something she had to rethink. 

Now that the initial horror and adrenaline had faded, though, the general wariness and ill-feeling she'd associated with the Team and their treatment of her flooded back. 

"What are you doing down here anyway?" she demanded, immediately on the defense. "Here to watch me? Make sure I'm not selling hero secrets?"

Robin held his hands up in the universal I-come-in-peace-please-stop-yelling position. "No. I mean- I was watching for you, I knew you were with Arrow tonight and I was hoping you'd be coming back to Gotham-" 

"Rewind." Artemis glared, at the grinning Boy Wonder. "How did you know I was with Arrow?"

Robin pulled up his holo-computer out of his gauntlet (and wasn't that a sweet piece of tech?) and showed her a captured shot from what appeared to be that night's news, with her and Arrow posed on one of the buildings. 

"'Arrow-Girl?'" Artemis scoffed with disgust. "You have got to be kidding me." 

Robin shrugged and swiped the screen closed, still with that perpetual grin on his face. 

"Fine. But that still doesn't explain why you wanna talk with me," Artemis said, crossing her arms.

"I'm getting to that. But first," Robin glanced around the alley, "mind if we take this to the roof? I'm feeling a little too exposed down here."

So was Artemis, not that she wanted to admit that. 

Artemis nodded, motioning for Robin to wait as she zipped open her bag and grabbed her gear, clipping her quiver to her waist and expanding her bow. 

Seemingly without looking, Artemis picked out her grappling arrow and shot it in a graceful arc into the sky, a satisfied smirk tugging on her lips as she felt the tension that told her her shot had flown true. Robin quirked his eyebrows, shooting his grappling gun. 

In sync, the two young heroes flew up out of the alley and into the night. 

* * *

"So." 

"So." 

"You haven't been back to the Cave since the mission. We've been waiting for you."

Artemis didn't bother hiding a scoff. "Sure you have."

"We have." Robin looked at her. "I'm not gonna say we couldn't have handled your... induction, into the Team better, because we could have. We should have. But you shouldn't lose your chance to be on the Team because we were being idiots." 

Artemis was at a loss. She'd been prepared... she wasn't really sure what she'd been prepared for, (some self-righteous spiel maybe) but it wasn't this. 

"Thanks," she said finally. 

"Do the others know you're here?" 

Robin nodded, suddenly somber. "They do. They would've come too, but we didn't think you'd appreciate it."

Artemis snorted softly. "Probably a good choice." 

She looked at Robin. "How did you know, by the way, that I was the one who saved Kid Flash in Gotham Academy?" It had stuck out, after- Robin hadn't really been on her side, in the aftermath of the mission from hell, but he hadn't been against her either. And the way he'd defended her before that to Kid Flash- by all accounts his best friend- on how she'd saved his life;

It wasn't much, but it'd meant a lot to her- not that she'd let him know that. 

"Speedy doesn't use green, for one thing," Robin pointed out. "And the fletching on your arrows were identical to the one we found."

"It could have been commercially made."

"I scanned it personally," Robin said, his hand on his chest in mock offense, though the blinding grin on his face made it clear he was teasing. "That arrow was custom-made and personalized." 

"Nice to meet someone who knows their arrows," Artemis said, smiling at him. She turned then, looking in the direction of Gotham Academy, across the city. "Seeing you guys then- I wanted that. I'd never been part of a Team before, but you guys made it look so..."

"So what?" Robin asked, several seconds later. Artemis sighed heavily, her gaze turning distant. 

"Fun? Free? I don't really know," she shrugged absently. "I just knew I wanted in. You guys were my age, but you were being heroes and trusting each other and working together and having each other's back. I wanted that." 

Silence.

"You think fighting a multi-powered, near-indestructible, crazy android who wants to kill you is fun?" 

Artemis snorted, not expecting that, and the younger hero burst into peals of uncontrolled laughter at the sound. Robin's laughter proved to be infectious, and soon the two of them were forced to sit, leaning on each other for support with tears of laughter streaming from their eyes.

"God," Artemis gasped out. "Stop laughing!" she shoved at Robin, sending him toppling to the floor, cackling all the way.

A few minutes later, the two of them managed to calm down, occasionally breaking into small fits of laughter. Robin grinned at Artemis, open, trusting, just as he'd been doing all evening, and Artemis felt her walls cave in. 

"Second chance?" He asked, backflipping to his feet and reaching his hand out for her to take. Artemis stared at the gloved hand for a few seconds before she nodded, accepting it.

"Hiya, my name's Robin, resident Boy Wonder, expert troll and hacker, partner of the Batman." Robin's grin stretched from ear to ear, and for the first time that night, Artemis returned it in full.

"Artemis. Proficient in archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand. Green Arrow's newest partner.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"You're really using your real name as your alias?"

"Not you too." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thanks for sticking around! Hope you're enjoying this!
> 
> Some chapter notes:  
It's my personal belief that Artemis had been training on the sword for years before she took up the bow and arrow. Huntress, Sportsmaster, and Cheshire all have melee, close-range primary weapons, and it makes sense that Artemis would have had training in the same, especially since she takes the sword back up as Tigress. It takes years to gain that kind of skill with the sword.
> 
> I like to think that Artemis was different from the start and never had a taste for killing like her family members. A very talented archer can aim to maim (heh, rhyme) or wound and pass it off as a mistake. It would give Artemis more leeway than a sword would at least. Of course, this would be exaggerating Artemis' skill level extremely, but I don't mind that much. 
> 
> Artemis has also been getting a lot of flack for her name choice- or lack thereof, and rightfully so! She needs to get a name change, and soon. That being said, I don't really know what name to use, but considering she's on a covert team, she's got some time to think. 
> 
> As far as Dick and Artemis' confrontation go, while I don't ship them romantically, they're my favorite platonic ship and I wanted to incorporate that as early as possible. Dick's smart and he's not as emotional as Wally, so he'll see Artemis' actions for what they are- a shot at redemption. Besides, the idea of another non-powered hero on the Team- and a Gothamite at that- will appeal to him. 
> 
> Please do leave comments and kudos if you can!


	4. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I should know better than anyone that a person's past- or what is most believed by their peers- should in no way dictate their treatment by others."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So sorry for the late post- almost an entire day! This week has been pretty hectic, so I completely forgot the day. 
> 
> Some Context:  
This chapter's based heavily on Young Justice #9: Cold Case, where the Team investigates Captain Nathaniel Adams' (*cough* aka Captain Atom *cough*) wrongful conviction after they start snoozing off in his lecture about Espionage. This takes place on August 13, five days after Infiltrator.
> 
> Robin and Miss Martian are dispatched to Washington DC, where Miss M uses her shapeshifting to score an interview with General Wade Eiling, the Judge at Adams' court martial. Eiling writes Adams off as a malcontent who'd wrongfully accused his superior officer General Lemar as tipping off the Viet Cong for an ambush on Adams and his men. Eiling said that after sentencing Adams to Life, he committed suicide after a year in prison. 
> 
> Kid Flash and Superboy get a different story from Adams' friend Yarrow, who served as his defense counsel at his Court Martial. Adams confided his suspicions of a weapons smuggling to Lemar, who agreed with him right before sending him and a squad straight into an ambush- where only Adams and Yarrow survived. Adams was furious and confronted Lemar, only to black out and come to standing over General Lemar's body. Yarrow remained convinced that Adams was innocent, but the prosecutor and medical examiner gave proof that Adams' weapon was used and there were no drugs in Adams' system. Yarrow suspected foul play, however, when Eiling married Adams' widow after his death. 
> 
> Artemis and Kaldur go to Honolulu to talk to the Adams' children Peggy and "Randy" (for the purpose of this fic, I've decided his full name is Randall). Randall believes that Adams was rightfully convicted and pretends to consider Eiling their father, while Peggy holds on to their mother's belief that Nathaniel wasn't guilty- which Artemis and Kaldur discuss in this chapter. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Miss Martian and Robin discover the Medical Examiner, Major Shirley Mason, dead in her apartment with an old picture in her hand. They manage to profile and track down one of the people in the picture- a former Vietnamese General Trang, who currently lived in a luxury mansion in the States. 
> 
> That's about all the context you need to understand for this- though I'd still recommend you read the comics themselves to get a better grasp of the sitch. 
> 
> I feel like this should be understood, but I don't own YJ.

Now, when Artemis had agreed to the "second chance" thing with Robin, that hadn't really translated to "coming to the Cave the following day."

Not that Ollie or her mother seemed to care- particularly when Ollie mentioned that they'd be having a mandatory lecture under Captain Atom about "Espionage 101."

"Sure, I mean, I've only been training as a Shadow operative all my life, but I _totally_ don't know anything about espionage," Artemis complained, hands on her hips. She'd been woken up earlier than usual by her mother, who'd told her that Oliver would be coming by soon to pick her up and take her to the Cave. Paula had been largely unimpressed by Artemis' protests and the twenty-minute rant that followed, insisting that Artemis go to the Cave anyway before leaving for work. Ollie arrived shortly after, only to be treated to a similar tirade.

"As an individual," Ollie said, raising his eyebrow at her (he seemed to be fond of the expression). "Not with a team. The Team aren't as used to covert ops as you are and this is a good opportunity for you to get a grasp on their own abilities. Besides, it's not like you were planning on hiding from them forever, were you?"

"...right," Artemis said, looking away.

Ollie sighed. "You just told me you told Robin you were willing to give it a second chance."

"Sure. But that was last night. Maybe I'm not ready just yet," she muttered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Can't I have a week or something to get used to the idea?"

"You could. But that would be running away from the problem- and you don't strike me as the kind of girl who runs, Artemis."

"Maybe I am," she grumbled. "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do. You've only been my mentor a week, you know."

"Believe me, I do," Ollie sighed, running a hand through his hair. Artemis scoffed, trying not to feel too upset by the clear exasperation in her mentor's voice. Ollie winced, looking at her, and shook his head.

"If it was on me, Artemis, I'd let you have all the time in the world. And you can- but Batman said that if you didn't join this exercise, you couldn't rejoin the Team for at least a year, barring any extenuating circumstances."

Oliver looked her in the eye. "And now- that's fine with me. It's your choice, and like you said, all the other sidekicks- _partners_," he amended, wincing, "had more one-on-one time with their mentors- except for Miss Martian and Superboy, who work almost exclusively with the Team. But I think- and I could be wrong- that if you don't try going back to the Team, Artemis, you're going to spend the rest of the year regretting it."

Artemis stayed quiet, thinking over what Oliver had said. He was right, ultimately- and she hated that. The Team had been her dream, shattered as it now was, but there were still enough fragments of that looking glass that she could step through.

"_Fine_," she snapped, throwing her hands up in the air. "But I'm only staying as long as I need to. No socializing or whatever."

Oliver smiled. "I think I can live with that."

* * *

She regretted her decision almost immediately- the "lecture" was redundant- and even worse, _boring_.

Artemis sighed, chewing absently on her pen as she avoided eye contact with her new teammates on either side. Their instructor, Captain Atom, was explaining further the importance of subterfuge and its history in wars and conflicts- nothing she didn't already know, so she didn't feel guilty in the slightest for zoning out.

She'd been the last one to arrive at the Cave- and she'd been surprised to see the others waiting for her. Like her, they'd been dressed in comfortable, casual clothes- with the exception of Aqualad and Superboy. Whatever conversation they'd been having stopped when she entered the room, leaving Artemis with the sense that they'd been talking about her.

"Artemis!" Robin greeted, grinning like the maniac he was. "You came!"

"From what Arrow told me, I didn't really have much of a choice," Artemis said crossly, crossing her arms. Her irritation didn't discourage Robin in the slightest, however, as he ran up to her.

"Glad you did, though," Robin said, cheerfully ignoring the awkward tension in the air. "It'll be asterous to have another normie on the Team."

"Normie yourself, weirdo," Artemis grumbled. "And what's 'asterous?'"

"Disaster minus the dis," Robin explained. "Seriously, why must I always explain this?"

Artemis laughed softly at the exasperation on Robin's face. She wasn't good at showing it, but she was grateful for Robin's... camaraderie? Friendship?

If not for him, she didn't think she would have come back at all.

Robin shifted to stand by her side as they looked back at the rest of the Team- all of whom had remained silent thus far. There was a healthy amount of hesitation and wariness in their expressions, and Artemis found herself questioning whether Robin had been telling the truth about them wanting her back.

Before anyone could say anything, however, Captain Atom walked into the room, waving them into chairs and desks for his lesson-

-which led them to right now.

Artemis was stuck near the middle, in between Aqualad and Kid Flash, and she couldn't help wishing she'd been able to snag a seat near Robin instead. Beyond being her only ally in this place, maybe the Boy Wonder would have been able to bring some sort of entertainment to the snoozefest.

She flicked her eyes up when Captain Atom suddenly paused, looking over the line of slouching teenagers (except for Aqualad- who'd actually managed to _take notes how?)_

"This is boring, isn't it?" the Leaguer deadpanned.

It took all of Artemis' self-control not to snort.

"Oh, no, Captain," Miss Martian said, blushing sheepishly. "It's quite-"

"Yeah, boring," Superboy interrupted.

Artemis fought off a wince when Captain Atom's eyes narrowed. In her experience, talking back to your instructor was good for gaining clout with your peers but bad for your overall health. And Captain Atom didn't strike her as the kind of man you wanted to cross.

Thankfully, he didn't do anything really drastic, instead assigning them a cold case as practical application for his lecture.

Not really her style, but it was better than several more hours of his droning.

"We must try to keep as low-profile as possible," Aqualad stressed as they gathered together after Captain Atom left the room. The Justice Leaguer had assured the Team that, although the whole point of the exercise was to remain covert, he would back them up if the bureaucrats started asking awkward questions. "Blend in with your surroundings. Remain as innocuous as possible."

* * *

Artemis didn't like dresses, but years of ops had taught her the value of dressing the part.

And while the beautiful emerald sundress she'd chosen still drew her plenty of appreciative glances, she managed to blend in well with the high-class crowd that frequented the cafe that she and Aqualad would meet the Adams' at.

The Team had divided into three pairs to cover more ground as fast as possible, with one experienced partner paired with a new member. Robin, to Artemis' regret, had been sent to Washington D.C. with Miss Martian to score an interview with the presiding officer at Adams' court martial, a General Wade Eiling. Kid Flash and Superboy had been dispatched to Las Vegas to talked to a retired Lieutenant Yarrow, Adams' friend and defense counsel- leaving Artemis with Aqualad to speak to Adams' children, who'd moved with their mother to Hawaii after Mrs. Adams married General, then Colonel Eiling.

Speaking of her partner, Artemis noticed that he looked increasingly uncomfortable with the strange looks he was receiving from the cafe's patrons around them, dressed as he was in a turtleneck. There was nothing for it, however, since his gills would look more out of place.

"Did you remember to lock your bike before we left the hotel?" Artemis asked, enough to be heard. Aqualad shot her an odd look, but he went along with it, thankfully. "I did."

Artemis nodded, glancing around her. The other patrons seemed to accept the excuse, thankfully, already forgetting about the strange young man dressed in a turtleneck in Hawaii's tropical weather.

"It's an easy excuse," Artemis explained, voice low when Aqualad sent her a quizzical glance. "Hard to explain a turtleneck in this heat, but if you're a motorcycle enthusiast, it's not as uncommon. They'll write you off as another spoiled rich kid on vacation with his girlfriend."

Aqualad nodded, expression thoughtful. "Thank you," he said. "You're more experienced with covert operations than I am, it would seem."

Artemis shrugged. "I've got a lot of experience," she muttered darkly. A shadow passed over Aqualad's face at her remark, making Artemis want to hit herself. _Sure_, she thought to herself, _keep reminding your team leader of your dubious background, why don't you?_

"Perhaps in the future, I shall bring a motorcycle on our undercover operations. It will make my fashion choices easier to exclaim." Artemis nodded, unsure what to say. Aqualad was a lot more formal and serious than she was used to. Thankfully, the Adams' siblings arrival cut off further conversation.

* * *

"What are your thoughts on our conversation with Captain Adams' children?" Aqualad asked softly.

The two were walking down the beach, towards the zeta tube entrance hidden in a cave near the ocean. So far, Aqualad hadn't really offered much in the way of conversation, instead fixing his gaze on the glistening waves of the ocean in the fading glow dusk, and Artemis had been more than content to follow his lead. There'd been a lot to think about.

While their conversation with the Adams' hadn't been difficult, per se, they hadn't been pleasant either- and they'd given very little insight into the circumstances surrounding the Captain's conviction. Rather, they'd received a glimpse into the siblings' differing views on their father- Peggy remained steadfast in her mother's conviction that her father had been innocent, while Randall seemed more bitter and reluctant to even talk about the man, demanding several times to know why the case was being looked into after all those years.

"I reviewed the file myself, when I joined the military, you know," he'd eventually snapped, "because I didn't want to believe it. But there's no proof that Dad- that _Nathaniel Adams_ wasn't guilty. And evidence doesn't lie."

He'd been brash and difficult, but Artemis found she preferred Randall's realistic approach to life over Peggy's baseless optimism.

"They're... different," she said finally, having run through her observations and insights throughout their conversation with the siblings. "Peggy Adams comes off as idealistic and optimistic- the kind of person who chooses to see the good in everyone. Randall's more of a cynic- a realist. They're both loyal to their family, though they have differing ideas on who's part of that group. If we wanted to talk to them again, I'd want to pick Randall's brain further on what he remembered of his father and his insights on the case versus what Peggy remembers of her mother talking about her first husband."

"A good analysis," Aqualad said, smiling approvingly. "I came to much the same conclusion."

"Good to know I meet your standards then," Artemis said, a little bitterly. She regretted it seconds later, when the Team Leader visibly wilted.

"Sorry," she muttered, and Aqualad's head jerked, looking at her with wide eyes. "No need," he said, smiling weakly. "It was deserved. We did not treat you fairly on our last mission. I have yet to apologize for my actions then."

"You didn't really do much," Artemis pointed out, and he nodded gravely. "Inaction is just as bad as action, in some cases. It certainly was the case then."

Robin had said that they'd felt bad about what they'd done, that they'd wanted her back. She hadn't really believed him then, and again when she'd entered the Cave earlier that day.

She was beginning to believe him now.

"Thanks," she smiled. "It means a lot."

He nodded regally at her, and Artemis found herself liking him more and more. There was something charming and endearing about his formal speech and manner. She noticed the way he kept looking out at the ocean.

"Missing home?" she asked softly. He smiled, nodding. "Very. I think of my parents often. I have not seen them as much as I would like since becoming Aqualad."

"What are they like?" Artemis asked curiously.

"My mother's name is Sha'lain'a, a native of the Atlantean city-state of Shayeris. Her skin is nearly as golden as her hair," he smiled, gaze distant, "and her gills are quite large and gorgeous among my people."

"She sounds amazing," Artemis said softly. Aqualad nodded, sensing the sincerity in her words.

"She is," he replied.

"What about your father?"

Aqualad's smile turned guarded and- apologetic? "My father, Calvin Durham, is actually a surface-worlder like you," he said slowly. "He was genetically altered by Black Manta to infiltrate Atlantis as a water-breather."

The implications of the statement took a moment to settle in. "Your dad _worked_ for _Black Manta?_"

"He did," he said calmly, "but his love for my mother caused him to switch sides." He looked at her, regret shining in his sea green eyes. "Which is why I hope you will accept my apology again, for how we- how _I_\- treated you last week."

Artemis glanced to the side, uncomfortable with the Atlantian's honesty and sincerity. After a lifetime spent with liars and con artists, Aqualad's integrity was completely foreign to her.

"I mean, Red Arrow was- _is_\- your friend, right?" she asked. "I guess it makes sense that you wouldn't take too kindly to his replacement."

"He is my friend," Aqualad agreed. "But that should have had no influence on your reception. Especially my own- as Team Leader, I should have set a better example and welcomed you immediately. As myself, and my father's son," he glanced at her, voice softening, "I should know better than anyone that a person's past- or what is most believed by their peers- should in no way dictate their treatment by others.

"By the same token," he continued, turning his gaze forward, "while Randall Adams seemed convinced of his father's guilt, I believe it prudent to reserve judgement until all the facts are in."

Artemis nodded, privately agreeing, as they drew up to the zeta tube entrance. Robin and Miss Martian had called in earlier to report they would rendezvous with Kid Flash and Superboy to conduct surveillance on a General Trang- a North Vietnamese General who'd popped on Robin's facial recognition software from a picture they'd discovered at Major Shirley Mason's apartment in Arlington. Unless they were contacted, Aqualad and Artemis would join up with the rest of the Team at a diner in Metropolis.

"That should give me enough time to change again," Artemis noted as they entered the Cave. "This dress fits in well enough in Hawaii, but I'll stick out like a sore thumb in Metropolis."

Aqualad nodded his acquiescence, though Artemis felt wary about the mischievous smirk that crept on his face. "I do believe that Kid will find that to be regrettable."

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Kaldur smirked to himself, turning away from the irate archer. It appeared his newest teammate hadn't noticed the stunned and admiring looks she'd received from her male teammates when she'd emerged from the locker rooms in her green dress earlier- in particular a certain redheaded speedster.

Artemis was brash, blunt, and brutally honest- but Kaldur could see the compassionate and kind personality she tried to hide from the world. She would be a good addition to this Team, he thought firmly.

If nothing else, she'd certainly make things a lot more _interesting_ in the months to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the late post! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> A few other notes:  
Some of you may have noticed that Kaldur is exclusively addressed as Aqualad by Artemis- this is intentional. They didn't have the bonding session after Infiltrator here, so there was no time for them to exchange secret identities- so Artemis knows the Team exclusively by their hero aliases. 
> 
> I'm also trying to give Ollie and Artemis a little friction- Ollie means well, certainly, and he wants to do well by Artemis, but that doesn't change the fact that Artemis was essentially pushed on him with very little warning, so he's bound to slip up here and there. 
> 
> Traught friendship because I live for platonic Traught and a dash of Spitfire because I'm a sap.
> 
> Drop some kudos and comments if you can!


	5. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I've always wanted a sister- here on earth anyway, I have like, twelve on Mars, which, trust me, isn't the same."  
"I, uh- wouldn't know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY IT'S LATE AGAIN!!!
> 
> I might switch my updating schedule to "every weekend" so chapter updates can be either Saturday or Sunday. 
> 
> This chapter borrows heavily from Young Justice #10: Hot Case, so some context to keep it understandable:
> 
> Miss Martian, Superboy, Kid Flash and Robin get into a conflict on their stakeout on General Trang's place with this crazy ninja assassin with a government prototype sword that manages to cut Superboy- sending Superboy into a sort-of spiral because news flash, he's not invulnerable. 
> 
> Oh, and the assassin succeeds in assassinating the General. 
> 
> The Team regroup and look at the picture Miss Martian and Robin got from Mason's apartment in the last issue, and figure out that the people in the frame are getting taken out one by one. They split into two to go after Yarrow and Polk, the only ones still alive or traceable. 
> 
> Team Robin in Las Vegas make it in time to see Yarrow's house explode and find a man with a tattoo like Yarrow's in the rubble. 
> 
> The Team regroup and go to an airfield in St. George, where they confront the remaining players- Rako, General Trang's protege aka the crazy ninja assassin who killed him, ex CIA Alec Rois who'd gone off the grid years before, and Yarrow, the head of the smuggling ring who betrayed Adams years before. 
> 
> The Team take down the three criminals, but Yarrow gets mortally injured in the conflict, and Miss Martian conducts a mind-meld to get the answers they need to clear Adams' name.

_"Robin to Cave; Aqualad- you there?"_

Artemis paused, exchanging a concerned look with Aqualad as he pulled up a holographic panel displaying Robin's picture, location, and comm frequency. "Aqualad here," he said. "What is your status?"

_"There were slight... complications."_

Artemis might have been new, but even she could hear the hesitation before Robin said 'complications.' Aqualad, looking very unimpressed, quirked an eyebrow. "Define 'complications.'"

"Crazy ninja assassin showed up, crashed our stakeout, killed the target. Oh- and he had some sword that somehow managed to cut Superboy."

Aqualad blinked.

Artemis frowned, crossing her arms. "I thought Superboy was invulnerable?"

_"So did we."_

Aqualad scowled. "Do you require assistance?"

_"Nah, we're already on our way to Metropolis. Might be_ _running a little late, though."_

"Noted. Stay safe, my friend."

_"You too. Robin out."_

Aqualad waved a hand, closing down the panel before turning to face Artemis. "So what now?" she asked, frowning.

The older teen paused, considering. "This... assignment has escalated further than we anticipated. It's plausible to consider that we may need to go into action soon- and we may not have the time for a costume change." He glanced at her. "I don't suppose you had the chance to further stock your locker?"

Artemis shifted uneasily. "Arrow and I haven't been able to create more copies of my uniform," she admitted. "I have some unmarked gear in there, though I'd be more comfortable with my usual stuff."

Aqualad pursed his lips, considering. "Robin said he and his squad would be running a little late. I think we have some time to pick up your costume."

Artemis nodded. "My apartment's not that far from the zeta tube. I can be there and back in ten minutes tops."

Aqualad shook his head. "It would be better if I were to come with you. We may have some time, but I would rather we stick together."

Artemis hesitated. "Not that I mind, but you might draw some unwanted attention if you come with me to my apartment- and I've done pretty well skating under the radar so far."

Aqualad frowned slightly, clearly unhappy with the arrangement. "Unless you don't mind staying in the alley near the zeta tube?" she offered.

He paused for awhile, thinking. "That would be fine."

"Then let's roll."

* * *

Kaldur watched as Artemis glanced around the alley as they stepped out of the zeta tube. "My building is just down the street," she said finally. "I shouldn't be too long."

"I will be fine," Kaldur assured her. "Do not worry."

Artemis quirked her lips into a smirk before casually joining the foot traffic just outside the alley. There was a confidence in her stride that warned off any would-be attackers, coupled with trademark Gothamite cautiousness. No-one gave her a second glance.

_She is impressive_, Kaldur thought. Though he'd already seen that in the way she'd handled herself with the Adams siblings in Hawaii. Her keen tactical skills and attention to detail would be a valuable skill to have in a member of the Team.

"You must admit," he said aloud, "that she may be your equal, old friend." He'd seen the barest shift of movement overhead when he'd stepped out of the zeta tube earlier, combined with the trademark red that had betrayed Red Arrow's presence.

Roy snorted as he jumped down from the fire escape. "Good enough that she didn't notice me."

"From what I have seen thus far, it is unlikely she didn't." Kaldur turned to look at the older teen, eyes dancing with mirth. "You're slipping," he teased. 

Even with the domino on, Kaldur could tell Roy had rolled his eyes. "Please. I _meant_ to be seen. Admittedly not by you." He crossed his arms. "What are you doing here anyway? Dropping her off at home?"

Kaldur frowned at the mocking tone in Roy's voice. "We are actually on our way to rendezvous with the rest of the Team for our mission. Unfortunately, she has not yet had the time to construct a spare uniform, so it was necessary for us to make a stop.

"I must wonder, however," Kaldur continued, "what you are doing here, my friend."

"I don't trust her," Roy replied. "She needs to be watched. Cons don't just drop the life."

"Both Green Arrow and Batman vouched for her. Should that not be evidence enough as to her trustworthiness?"

"Bats could just be keeping her around to keep an eye for her, and _Arrow_ just needed a convenient replacement- just like you and your kiddie Team."

"It is not as if you left us much choice; the Team needed an archer, a long-distance fighter and scout," Kaldur said sharply. "And Artemis proved her mettle when she saved Kid Flash's life."

"Against her _sister_?"

"Against the Amazo robot, before we were aware of her existence," Kaldur frowned. "Kid Flash was in danger of being seriously harmed- even killed- by Amazo- Professor Ivo's latest invention that took down the _Justice League_. It was Artemis' timely intervention that saved his life." He looked meaningfully at Roy. "At first, we thought it was you."

"Until she told you."

"Until _Robin_ told us. I do not think she would have."

"Good to know you've got me well and truly replaced then!" Roy finally snapped, jerking his shoulder back when Kaldur attempted to reach out.

"It is not like that!" Kaldur protested, exasperation bleeding through his normally calm voice. "There is room for both you and Artemis on the Team. You are my friend, Roy," Kaldur said, voice soft and eyes compassionate, "and you always be. But don't you think Artemis deserves the chance to rise above her family legacy?"

Roy scoffed, storming past him. "You're far too trusting, Kaldur. Tigers don't change their stripes, and their cubs don't either."

"By that philosophy," Kaldur interjected coldly, "I suppose you think my father a traitor and me a spy in my King's court?"

The archer paused, hesitating at the anger in Kaldur's voice. "I didn't mean it that way," he said finally.

"There's no other way to mean it," Kaldur replied.

Roy sighed deeply. "Take care, Kaldur, and watch your back." He glanced back. "Because I don't think she will."

The phone booth glowed a bright golden as Red Arrow disappeared, and Kaldur sighed, exhausted by the encounter.

"Hey."

Kaldur's head shot up, surprised to see Artemis crouched on the very fire escape where Roy had been watching them. Over her shoulder was a large black duffle, presumably where she kept her gear.

"How long have you been there?" Artemis cocked her head, considering. "How long is too long?" she asked tentatively. Kaldur sighed, this time fondly, smiling softly at her. Smiling back, she jumped down, almost mirroring her predecessor's movements not ten minutes earlier.

Without further conversation, the pair keyed in their destination and passed through the zeta tube- emerging behind a dumpster in a similar alley in Metropolis.

Both teens stopped, breathing in the (comparatively) cleaner Metropolis night air before emerging from their hiding place. Kaldur gestured to a small diner at the end of the street, and the familiar group of teens filing inside.

"By the way," Artemis murmured as they walked. "I might have overheard your names- not that Red's was much of a mystery after GA told me his identity," she muttered, "but- I'm sorry I overheard yours."

Kaldur blinked. He'd forgotten, with everything that had happened, that they'd never really gotten around to giving Artemis their names. While the League had put a premium on secret identities, the Team had seen no need to hide their alter-egos- except for Robin, and even then, only at Batman's insistence.

"It is no problem," he said warmly. "My identity is no secret in Atlantis, and holds little significance on the surface world. My full name is Kaldur'ahm, but my friends call me Kaldur."

Artemis stopped short of the door to the diner, visibly stunned by Kaldur's casual declaration. Kaldur paused, holding the door open behind him, and smiled at her.

"Shall we?" he asked.

* * *

After a quick bite to eat, they ended up splitting the team again- though this time, Artemis didn't mind being separated from Robin as much as she thought she would have.

Her mom hadn't been home when she came, so she'd been able to get in and out without any fuss, all her gear already stashed in her duffle.

Before leaving, though, she'd ended up grabbing a dark hoodie with a hood deep enough to hide her face, heading for the roof instead of the streets. More people would be likely to take note if she left her apartment so soon after coming- she'd just have to remember to come home via rooftop when she came back.

Besides- she'd wanted to hear what Aqualad and Red Arrow would say.

She arrived just after Aqualad finished recounting their encounter with Amazo and heard every word after. To hear Aqualad defending her had been... nice. Unexpected, but nice.

Maybe things would work out with the Team after all.

"We're a go," Miss Martian said. Her eyes glowed, releasing cables from the Bio-ship's ceiling for Aqualad and Artemis to clip onto their belts.

Thanks to Miss Martian's telekinesis, Artemis hadn't needed to pick the window lock- not that it seemed Sergeant Polk would have minded much if she had, considering the place was already trashed.

"No signs of forced entry," she called after checking the door. "Not that that means much," she added thoughtfully, moving through the room carefully, trying not to disturb the items discarded around her.

"Do you suspect assassination?" Aqualad asked, eyebrows furrowed. Artemis paused, considering, before shaking her head. "Unlikely," she said. "I thought so at first, but then it wouldn't make sense for the assassin to hide the body and scrub the place only to trash it."

"So, robbery?" Miss Martian asked tentatively.

"Nope. More like Polk skipped town in a hurry," Artemis replied, peering into one of the drawers. She glanced up, walking around the room and pointing as she went with an arrow. "Electronics are still here, for one- including the laptop, which is small enough to cart off if this had been a robbery. No ornaments or valuable knickknacks, though that could just mean Polk's a private man that doesn't like display. Kitchen's practically untouched, and most of the disturbance is in the bedroom, near Polk's desk and dresser- likely for clothes, essentials, papers, and money," she finished. Aqualad nodded, gesturing for them to wait as he moved to the side.

Artemis glanced around, trying to see if she missed any small detail that might give them further clue as to what happened to the absent Sergeant.

"That was really cool."

At some point, Miss Martian had drifted over to Artemis' side without her really noticing. Artemis blinked. "Uh... Thanks?" she offered.

Miss Martian looked at the floor. "We didn't really... get to talk much, last time. But I think you're... nice- well, nicer than Red Arrow, anyway, not that that's fair since I've only met him a few times and I mean, Robin and the others say he's okay so he must be? But it wasn't fair either how they treated you, because you were actually really helpful and I don't think anyone should be judged by their past or their skin or anything but their actions and words really, and I'm- rambling again?" she laughed, sheepishly, a bright pink blush spreading on her cheeks. "Anyway, I-uh. I guess I'm trying to say that I'm sorry about last week, and that- it'll be nice to have another girl on the Team," she murmured, smiling softly.

Artemis blinked, taken aback by the other girl's enthusiasm and the sincere sweetness in her tone and manner. "Thanks? I guess," she laughed awkwardly, rubbing her elbow. "I'm not really good at the whole... friends thing, I guess."

"We're all learning," Miss Martian said, smiling nervously. "I've had my fair share of Earth-blunders too, especially in my new school. Everyone's been really nice, but it can get intimidating."

"Tell me about it," Artemis groaned. "It feels like everyone's watching your every move. And that's just the other kids. But then there's the classes- like Calculus?"

"It's so confusing, I hate it, we never had anything like it on Mars," Miss Martian gushed. The two girls caught themselves before laughing softly.

Aqualad returned before they could continue chatting, but Artemis discovered a warm feeling building in her chest- only a day in and already she was sort-of okay with three Team members.

Yeah- maybe things would work out well.

* * *

Artemis ended up teaming up with Miss Martian at the takedown at St. George airfield to take down ex-CIA agent Alec Rois. Artemis had to admit, the dead man's switch was a smart move. But between Miss Martian's telekinesis and her hard-foam arrow, Rois didn't stand a chance. (Okay, so maybe Kid Flash helped too, but that wasn't the point.)

After meeting back up with Robin and his team and comparing notes, (read: Robin's morally dubious hacking) they found out that Yarrow and Polk had had the same symbol tattooed onto their upper arms- and Kid Flash and Superboy had realized that the body of the man they'd found in the house in Las Vegas had been too tall to be the former lieutenant; which meant that the body they'd found had to be Polk. After finding the coordinates for the airfield, it'd been easy to figure out that it was likely a set-up.

It hadn't made much sense then, but after Miss Martian's deathbed psychic confession session with Yarrow, everything had fallen into place- how Yarrow had been the head of the weapons smuggling ring and how General Lemar had tried taking him and Adams out, how Yarrow had arranged for Polk to murder Lemar and Adams to be set up and take the fall for Lemar's murder, how he and Rois had killed Mason and lured Polk out to Vegas to tie up loose ends.

Eiling appeared to be innocent of conspiracy in the mess that followed (though Artemis had a bad feeling about him) and the only truly innocent person- Captain Adams- was too many years dead.

"...you did good work," Captain Atom said proudly, shaking Superboy's hand. Artemis frowned, glancing to the side. "Work that comes too late to help Nathaniel Adams," she murmured.

"But not too late for his kids," Captain Atom said warmly, apparently overhearing her. He smiled, putting a hand on Artemis' shoulder. "Go tell them what kind of a man their father _really_ was."

Artemis hesitated before smiling back. She'd lived her whole life knowing full well what kind of a man Lawrence Crock was- but that hadn't stopped her of dreaming of a day that would change.

Now she had the chance to make that dream a reality for Randall and Peggy Adams.

* * *

"Artemis!"

Artemis glanced up as she adjusted the strap of her duffel. She and Kaldur would meet the Adams siblings in Honolulu, and then Artemis wanted to go straight home to Gotham and sleep for a million years.

Or at least, that was the plan- so she had no clue why her teammates were lining up in front of her.

"I really don't think _all_ of us meeting the Adams' will be a good idea, guys," she said.

"No, uh... we're not here about that," Miss Martian said, giggling nervously. "We, uh..."

"We wanted to apologize for how we treated you last week," Robin explained. "I know some of us have... but not all of us," he added with a pointed jab into Kid Flash's ribs.

"Ow! I mean, uh- yeah. Right." He glanced up at her. "Sorry about- yeah, how we treated you. Wasn't cool."

Artemis snorted softly- _not exactly repentant, is he_\- but nodded.

"Sorry," Superboy grunted- but he looked sincere, and that was good enough for her. Robin smirked, flashing her a peace sign, and Kaldur inclined his head deeply- they'd already said their pieces in private, and Artemis wasn't one for repeated apologies anyway. Their actions spoke so much louder than their words.

"I've always wanted a sister- here on earth anyway, I have like, twelve on Mars, which, _trust me_, isn't the same," Miss Martian giggled nervously, stepping closer to Artemis.

"I, uh- wouldn't know," Artemis smiled hesitantly. "Thanks, M."

"Call me M'gann," Miss Martian- M'gann insisted. "Or Megan, which is my earth-name, whichever you prefer."

"M'gann," Artemis tested the sound of it. It was a little odd, but it fit the other girl. M'gann beamed brightly at her. "You've got to come back soon! I'd love for some girl time, that is, if you're not too busy?" she asked hopefully.

_So much for no socializing_, Artemis mused. M'gann was bright and bubbly and cheerful and _nothing_ like anyone else Artemis had hung out with before, but she was also kind and honest and good and if Artemis was going to be a hero, then maybe she needed to get used to different.

"Not at all," Artemis said. _I'm gonna regret this_, she thought ruefully when M'gann squealed, tackling her in a hug and babbling her ears off about all the fun girly things they could do together. Over her shoulder, Artemis could see Robin snickering at her while Kaldur smiled fondly. Wally made a face, and Superboy seemed generally indifferent to it all, though Artemis thought she could see a hint of amusement in both boys' eyes.

_Or maybe I'm not._

Kaldur beamed, stepping forward. "Welcome to the Team." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who have commented! It really means so much to me, and I'm so happy that you're as excited as I am about this fic!
> 
> Some notes:   
I decided to have the Team sort of accept Artemis into the fold at this point- though that doesn't mean it's all smooth sailing from here on out. Wally won't be getting past his prejudices pretty soon, even if he's apologized! And Artemis might be willing to give them a shot, but she doesn't forgive easily, and she doesn't forget. But it didn't make sense for them to go on like that either. 
> 
> I also decided to write a scene that wasn't shown in the comics- Aqualad and co going to Polk's apartment in Metropolis while Rob, KF, and Supey go to Las Vegas. I figured this was as good a time as any to have Miss M and Arty start bonding.
> 
> If you've got any comments or observations, feel free to drop them! Or even just a kudos would be great! :)


End file.
